Awakening
by Winds of Water
Summary: A dream or not, he didn’t care. So long as he could hear his voice. So long as he could be with him. Roy/Ed


To occupy myself not being able to upload, I ended up doing oneshots here and there to keep me from going crazy, and I put a couple up on my LJ. So a few of you have already read this. Because of that I feel safe in continuing to say that you might need tissues for this. I honestly have no idea what the hell this is that I wrote... I just wrote it because I couldn't get the images out of my head thanks to the lovely song that inspired it along with a three-part story I'm also working on. So here we are...

...enjoy?

* * *

Awakening

The monotone tick-tock of the clock on the far wall and the scratching of pen across paper were the only sounds in the dark office. A beam of moonlight fell across the desk, illuminating the fresh signature. The header at the top of the document was half hidden in shadow, but as Roy's breath blew onto the wet ink to coax it to dry, the paper was angled perfectly into the moonlight.

'_Request for Honorable Promotion_', read the header.

'_Edward Elric_', read the name which filled the blank.

Roy's eyes closed. With forearms rested on either side of the paper, Roy's body bowed over his desk in a weary slump. The sigh that had been aching to leave his body remained inside, building pressure.

Awareness faded away in the time it took for that pressure to release. Awareness of the dark, empty office. Awareness of all which lay beyond that office door. Freed of restraints, Roy's mind was set free to fly away from the emptiness he felt consumed by. Free to seek that which he could now only dream.

Free to seek _him_.

The night was seduction, luring him back to a place of peace. Taking flight on that seduction, all the wishes, hopes, and memories all came back with a rush that felt of pure life. Even if they were just that, memories, or dreams… he was home.

Home in that faded light.

"_You're back."_

"_Yes."_

A dream or not, he didn't care. So long as he could hear his voice. So long as he could be with him. Even if only like this. He'd leave reality behind, leave it all behind. If Edward was with him tonight, he would be fine for another day.

"_I never left you."_

Roy's eyes opened, heavy and shining with tears unshed. Raising his head he stared up into the eyes of the shimmering apparition sitting on his desk. "How can you say that?" He asked in a voice wound taught with restrained emotion.

_Edward cocked his head to one side, and reached out to brush ghostly fingers against Roy's cheek and down over his lips. "Because," he let his hand drift to Roy's chest, "I'm in here."_

"Don't…" Roy whispered thickly as he reached out towards Edward, his hand passing straight through. A look of raw emotional pain flashed over his face, his eyes closing sharply as his head bowed with a jerk.

"_Don't what?" Edward asked with a faint smile. "Don't make you cry? It's been six days since I died. Is it that difficult to shed those tears?"_

"I never got the chance…" Roy's chest was shook by a silent sob. "I should have told you-" he drew in a rough gasp, "-how much you meant-" another silent sob, "-to me."

_Edward's eyes softened. "I always knew. You never had to tell me. I saw it in your eyes from the very first."_

Roy looked up quickly, feeling his reserves of strength quaver under that tender gaze. "Ed…"

_Before Roy could say anything more, Edward leaned in to catch those warm lips in a kiss. As he drew away he smiled at Roy. "Cry for me. Let us both be at peace."_

Once.

Twice.

And then the tears did not stop falling. The proverbial dams had caved.

As the first tears hit Edward's shimmering form, before Roy's pained eyes the apparition began to fade away. "Don't leave me… please." Roy whispered through the tears.

"_I'll always be inside of you." Edward whispered back. "You just have to believe I'm there."_

Then he was gone.

Roy's anguish fell wetly to the desk, and the paper on top of it. He cried out unreservedly all the regret he felt, until he had no more tears left to cry. Exhaustion set in like a warm blanket, and he let his head fall to the desk with a loud clunk.

A dream or not… he didn't care.

He couldn't see Edward anymore, but he could feel him. He could feel the faded light that was his home. All he had to do was reach inside himself.


End file.
